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Supreme Court/Transcript
Transcript Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby A boy, Tim, and a robot, Moby, are playing a board game. TIM: That move's illegal. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Hand me the rules, I'll show you. Moby gives Tim a letter. TIM: These aren't the... ah, never mind. Tim reads from the typed letter. TIM: Dear Tim and Moby, What does the Supreme Court do? From, Ted. TIM: The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. It decides on legal cases that deal with federal laws, laws that affect the whole country, and the Constitution. An image shows the Supreme Court building. TIM: The Supreme Court decisions are made by nine judges, or justices. There's one chief justice and eight associate justices. An image shows the Supreme Court judges. TIM: These justices are nominated by the President and approved by the Senate. An image shows a nominee being interviewed. TIM: When a justice is approved, he or she has the job for life. An image shows the justices. TIM: The court's most important power is judicial review, or the right to declare laws unconstitutional. An image shows a page of a printed law. A hand crumples it. TIM: That means that a law passed by Congress and signed by the President can be struck down by the Supreme Court. An animation shows the crumpled paper landing in front of the Supreme Court. TIM: Aww. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, the Constitution is the ultimate law in the United States. An image shows the Constitution. TIM: So if Congress passes a law that violates the Constitution in some way, the Supreme Court can declare that law, against the law. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, Congress wouldn't make unconstitutional laws on purpose. Interpreting the law can be complicated, and deciding whether a law is unconstitutional can be a matter of opinion. In fact, that's what Supreme Court decisions are called: opinions. MOBY: Beep. TIM: No, not just any case goes to the Supreme Court. See, the court is the top authority of the federal government's judicial branch. An image shows the buildings that represent the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. TIM: It's the last stop for cases that have been appealed through the federal court system. An image first shows the judges in a courtroom. Then a chart illustrates the hierarchy of the federal court system by showing a lot of gavels in the bottom row, fewer gavels in the middle row, and only one gavel on the top, which represents the Supreme Court. MOBY: Beep. TIM: When a case is decided, the losing side has the right to appeal the decision to a higher court. It's sort of like getting a second opinion from a doctor. A case can be appealed until it reaches the Supreme Court. But the Supreme Court doesn't accept every case it's presented with. An animation shows lawyers walking up the steps to the Supreme Court. A Supreme Court justice shakes his head no. TIM: In fact, it refuses to hear most cases. They get thousands of requests for hearings every year, so they have to choose the few that they think are the most important. Did you find those rules, yet? Moby hands Tim the board game rules. TIM: See, it says right here, you can't move twice in a row. MOBY: Beep. TIM: You can't appeal it. They're rules. Moby crumples up the rules and tosses the paper on the floor. TIM: Oh, that's real mature. Category:BrainPOP Transcripts Category:BrainPOP Social Studies Transcripts